How Bad is Plastic?

We are frequently asked our opinion on plastic water
containers. People are particularly worried about a
hardening agent called Bis-Phenol-A(BPA).

The original ruckus developed a few years ago when a
researcher claimed that if you paint pure BPA onto the
naked bellies of lab rats, they develop lesions that could
be pre-cancerous. That's when a California politician got
onboard and declared that she would save her constituents
from this deadly threat. Since then, the prime focus of
concern has been on the possibility of hormone disruption
from over-exposure to this substance.

Of course I'm concerned about the volume of plastic going
into landfills, and the health issues that almost have to be
associated with manufacturing the stuff. But really, in
perspective, how bad is plastic?

Aren't you glad you have a plastic bag to throw your veggies
into on the way home from the supermarket? Can you imagine
how much good food would be priced out of range if all plastic
were replaced with glass? Is it possible that plastic has done
more good than harm over the years? I honestly can't answer that
question with meaningful statistics, but neither can plastic's
detractors.

Is it not quite probable that the hormones, pecticides, colorings,
preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc., in the food and drink we
buy are more harmful than the container? Politicians and the big
Industries that pay for their re-elections tend to focus on issues
that might make them look good, like 'get rid of a poison in the
environment'. Don't expect them to tackle something big, something
they might be accountable for later on.

It's true, I'm not a chemist or a biologist. No-one knows what the
cumulative effect of exposure to synthetic products will eventually
yield; and each human being is a unique package with a unique
fingerprint of sensitivities, strengths and weaknesses. We should
all make the best decisions we can at every turn.

It's good to refocus on the big picture once in a while.

More later,
Sam
www.nutriteam.com